Apparatus for working filamentary materials



May- 17, 1966 F, G. r-:UBANKS APPARATUS FOR WORKING FILAMENTARYMATERIALS Filed Aug.

May 17, 1966 F. G. EUBANKS APPARATUS FOR WORKING FILAMENTARY MATERIALSFiled Aug. 5 1965 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,251,253APPARATUS FOR WORKING FILAMEN'IARY MATERIALS Floyd G. Eubanlrs,Pasadena, Calif., assignor of twenty percent to Edward Floyd Eubanks,fifteen percent to Philip Robert Eubanks, ten percent to Patricia RoseEubanks Palmer, and ten percent to Robert M. McManigal Filed Aug. 5,1963, Ser. No. 299,870 8 Claims. (Cl. 825-208) The present inventionrelates generally to the art of working lamentary materials such aswire, cable and the like, and is more particularly concerned withimprovements in apparatus for the cutting of such material intopredetermined lengths, and in the case of insulated wire for strippinginsulation .from the ends of the cut lengths.

In its broad concept, the present invention seeks to provide apparatusfor the herein described purpose having greater flexibility ofoperation, and in which the feeding and cutting operations will beaccomplished with greater accuracy, and maintained during long periodsof operation.

Heretofore, feed mechanisms in wire cutting and insulation strippingapparatus have in the main employed presser feed rollers to feed thewire yto the cutting position. Such rollers had the inherentdisadvantage of making substantially point contact wtih the wireinsulation, and in some cases caused an undesirable flattening of theinsulation. The substantially point contact of the rollers also tendedto permit slippage, especially at high feeding speeds, so that lengthaccuracieswere diiicult to obtain and maintain.

Having the foregoing in mind, the present invention proposes yto engagefinite lengths of the lamentary material on opposite sides by opposedportions or sections of moving belts arranged for movement towards andaway from each other into feeding and non-feeding coation. The beltsprovide non-'slipping line contact so that a greater feed accuracy maybe obatined and maintained. Moreover, in my improved arrangement, thefeed is operable with different sized wire, and it is not necessary, asin the case of the rollers, to have interchangeable rollers accommodatedto the different wire sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved control forcoordinating and synchronizing the various operations in lamentary wireworking apparatus, such for example as the measuring, feeding andcutting operations.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. l is a front elevational View of my improved feeding mechanism asembodied in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through the same, taken substantially online 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG, 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing details of thefluid actuators for effecting feeding and non-feeding operations, takensubstantially on line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a view diagrammatically showing the embodiment of the feedingmechanism into filamentary working apparatus according to the presentinvention, and schematically showing the electrical control circuitrytherefor.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the apparatus of thepresent invention includes a number of component assemblies which areusually supported in co- 3,251,253 Patented May 17, 1966 lCC operativerelationship upon a main mounting panel so as to form a uni-taryapparatus of a character well known in the art. This coordination ofassemblies will be Subsequently explained, and for purposes of thepresent invention may be generally considered as embodying, as bestshown in FIG. 4, a feeding mechanism 10, length measuring device 11 andcutter means 12. These components are coordinated and synchronized intheir operation in a manner and for the purpose to be hereinafterexplained.

As shown in detail in FIG. 1, -the feeding mechanism 10 comprises asubstantially rectangular dished frame structure formed with a back wall13 which is integrally formed with peripherally extending top and bottomwalls 14 and 15, and opposite end walls 16 and 17 which cooperativelyform a peripheral closure defining a front opening 18.

Mounted within the above frame structure adjacent the end Wall 17 aresimilar driving pulleys 19a and 19b, these pulleys being respectivelysupported upon associated shafts 20a and 20b which are rotatablysupported in appropriate bearings (not shown) supported in the back wall13.

At the opposite end wall 16, there is mounted within the frame structuresimilarly arranged idler pulleys 21a and 2lb, these pulleys being'respectively supported upon nonrotating shafts 22a and 22b. These idlershafts are carried by slide blocks 23a and 23h. Each of the slide blocksis similarly mounted, and vfor this reason it is believed that anexplanation of the mounting lfor one of the blocks will suflice withoutdescribing the mounting for both blocks.

Briefly, for example, the slide block 23b is secured as by a set screwZlb (FIG. 2) to a rod member 25h which has its ends slidably supported`for longitudinal movement in walls 26b and 2711 respectively at theends of a slot 2.8b within which the slide block is longitudinally`slidaible, being guided in this movement and retained by upper andlower slot Walls 2919 and 3011. The slide block 2312 is urged towardsthe end wall 26h by means of a compression spring 31b which surround-sthe right end of the rod 25b, one end of this spring bearing against theend wall 27h .and the other end against the adjacent side of the slideblock 2311. This springs urges the slide block and connected `rodtowards the left, the extent of this movement being variably adjusted bymeans of an adjusting screw 3219 in the end wall 16 of the framestruc-ture. The inner end of the screw 32b bears against the adjacentend of the rod 25h, and by adjusting the screw 32h, the limit of theleftward movement of the slide block 23b may be adjusted, while theblock is free to move towards the right against the compression of theassociated compression spring 31h. Adjustment of the slide block 23a issimilarly accomplished by means of adjusting screw 32a.

The pulleys 19a and 21a form a pair of pulleys over which, a looped belt33a is trained, While pulleys 19b and 2lb have a :belt 33h similarlytrained thereover, these belts being respectively maintained undertensioned condition by means of the spring loaded pulleys 21aV and 2lb,this tension being -adjustalble independently for each belt by means ofthe `adjusting screrws 32a and 32h. As sli-own in FIG. 2, the pulleysmay be provided with circumferentially extending lands and grooves 34which are adapted to mate with rsimilar longitudinally extending landsand grooves 35 on the inner surface of the belts to maintain the belts'and pulleys against lateral displacement and increase their `surfacesof contact.

As shown in FIG. 2, driving power is supplied yto the driving pulleys19a and `19b through driving gears 36a and 361; which are respectivelycarried by the shafts 20a and 201i. The gears 36a and 3611 lare in.meshed connection and are driven from a spur gear 37 which meshes withthe driving gear 36h, the spur gear being driven through a driving shaft38 from a suitable power `device such 'as an electric motor 319 (FIG.4).

Referring again to FIG. 1, the end walls 16 and 17 are respectivelyprovided with a central removable bushing 40 having a central bore 41 ofa size to accommodate iilamentary material of certain diameter. Toaccommodate different wire sizes, bushings having different sized boreswould be used. These bushings guide the entrance and exit of thelamentary material so that it will pass axially between the confrontingsurfaces of the adjacent spaced apart inner legs of the belt loops 33aand 33h.

Means are provided for relatively positioning the inner legs ofthe beltloops so as to place them in proper operative relationship lwit-hrespect to the lamentary material passing therebetween, and also forselectively relatively moving the inner legs o-f the -belt loops intocoacting feeding and non-feeding relationship, as will now be described.More specifically, as clearly sho'wn in FIG. f1, an elongate blockmember 42 is xedly sefcured to the back wall 13 by means of securingbolts `i3-43. This fixed block provides a support for a -movable pressermember 44 which is supported on the block 42 for raising and loweringmovements, the presser member being guided in these movements by meansof guide pins 45--45 carried by the presser member and having slidingguiding movement in the block 42. The presser member is normally p urged-to its lowered position by means yof tension springs 46-46 respectivelyinterconnecting the ends of the 'block and presser members. The pressermember is shown as carrying Ia plurality of individually supportedrotatable rollers 47 having their axes of rotation extending across theassociated 'belt leg which they are adapted to engage and thus provideantifriction bearing engagement between the presser member and theassociated belt leg. The leg section of the belt which overlies thepresser member 44 may be adjustably raised and lowered by means of athumb screw 48 threadedly mounted in the block member 42 with its endbearing against the presser member 44. The thumb screw is positionedbetween the guide pins 45-4S, and by turning the thumb screw in theproper direction, the presser member may be raised -so that the innerleg of the belt will be elevated until it is just barely spaced [fromthe lilamentary material passing between the belts.

Control of the feeding and non-feeding operations is accomplished by afluidl actuated similar presser arrangement positioned above andcoacting with the inner leg of the belt 33a. Similarly a block member 49is ixedly secured to the back wall 13 by bolts `Sil-5l), a pressermember S11 being guided by pins 52-52 and being urged upwardly bysprings SI5- '53, The presser member similarly carries antifrictionrollers 54 for engaging the adjacent leg of belt 33a.

yProvision is made for positively selectively raising and lowering thepresser member S1 by 4means of fluid actuators lwhich will now beexplained. As shown in FIG. 1, the block 49 is formed with spacedcylinder bores 55-55 having cooperatively associated pistons `56--56which have ,their outermost ends bearing against the associated pressermember 51. The cylinder bores communicate with a uid conducting passage57 which connects with connection port 68 in the back wall 13. It willbe evident that when a fluid under pressure is supplied through thepassage 57, the pistons S6 will be motivated in a direction toforcefully move the presser member 51 downwardly in -such a way as tovcarry the inner leg of the looped belt 33a into engagement with thelamentary material and thus cooperate with the adjacent inner leg ofbelt 3'3b to effect a feeding operation of the iilamentary material.

Positive movement of the presser member in an opposite ldirection issecured by means of a releasing actuator. This actuator comprises anauxiliary block 59 which is secured to the back wall as by securingIbolts 60-60. The auxiliary block is formed with `an upwardly openingcylinder bore 61 and is cooperatively associated with a piston 62 whichhas its working end arranged to bear against a projecting pin 63 carriedby the presser member S1. The cylinder bore 61 -connects with a fluidconducting passage 64 which connects with a connection port 65 in theback wall 13. Energization of the actuator cylinder 61 with apressurized fluid will move 'the piston 62 upwardly carrying the pin 63with it and hence motivate the presser member in a release or upwarddirection so that the inner leg of the looped belt 36a will be tensionedby the associated loading spring for pulley l21a and the belt moved awayfrom t-he lamentary material to a non-feeding position.

As Will be explained by reference to FIG. 4, the feeding mechanism andits cooperative relationship and synchronization with the othercomponent-s such as the length measuring device 11 and cutter means 12will now be considered in detail. A lamentary material such as a wire 66is threaded through the feeding mechanism 10.

As the wire is supplied to the feeding mechanism, it passes between anidler wheel 67 and driving wheel 68 which 'actuates the length measuringdevice 11 through a variable ratio driving -mechanism which may bevariably adjusted to control the speed of rotation of an output disc orwheel 69 which is arranged to control the contacts of an electric switch70 in a preset ratio to the rotation of the driving wheel 68 or the feedspeed and consequent length of the ilamentary material yto be cut orotherwise operated upon. The ratio or proportionate length of materialper revolution of the disc 69 is determined'by adjusting means under thecontrol of a setting knob 71. Length measuring devices such as thatindicated at 11 are readily available and need not be described further.

It will be noted that the switch 70 has a fixed contact 72 which is innormally closed relation with a movable contact 73. As the disc 69rotates, a pin 74 is arranged `to engage the movable contact 73 and moveitsto a position in engagement with a second contact Fluid pressure issupplied to the connection ports 53 and 65 through ow pipes 76 and 77from a four-way valve 78 having a fluid supply connection 79. This valveis selectively operable by means of a coil 80 which is energized toconnect the uid pressure with flow pipe 77 to move the feed belts tonon-feeding position, and a coil 81 which is energized to actuate thevalve to connect the uid pressure to ow pipe 76 to actuate the belts fora feeding operation.

At the discharge end of the feeding mechanism 10,

the filamentary material is carired to the cutter means which are ofconventional construction, being comprised of double actingcylinder-piston fluid actuators 82 and 83 for respectively motivatingthe cutters 84 and 85. The actuators are connected in parallel to flowpipes 86 and 87 under the control of a four-way valve 88. This valve isselectively controlled by a coil 89 which upon energization will operateythe valve to connect the flow pipe 86 with the fluid supply connection79 and actuate the cutters to closed position. A coil 90 uponenergization operates the valve to connect the ow pipe 87 with the fluidsupply connection so as to open the cutters.

The valves 78 and 88 are connected in parallel and are electricallycontrolled in their operation by means of the switch 70. The movablecontact 73 of this switch is connected through a capacitor 91 to aground point 92. The contact 73 is normally in engagement with contact72, this latter contact being connected through a rectifier 93 -to aconductor 94 having connection WithA one terminal of a secondary winding9S of transformer 96, the other terminal of the secondary winding beingcarried to a ground point 97. The primary winding 98 of this transformerconnects with an alternating current supply source.

It will be observed that when the contact 73 engages contact 72, acircuit is completed from the transformer output through the capacitor91, and that the capacitor will be charged through the rectifier 93.This will take place during a normal feeding operation of thefilamentary material 66 by the feeding mechanism 10. However, when thedesired length of lamentary material has been fed to bring the pin 74against the contact 73, the contact 73 will be moved into engagementwith contact 75 and the capacitor thus connected to a conductor 99 whichcompletes energizing circuits through coils 80 and 89, thus operatingthe valve 78 to operate the feeding mechanism -to non-feeding position,and operate the valve 88 -to close the cutters 84 and 85 while themovement of the lamentary material is stopped.

The resumption of a feeding operation by means of the feding mechanisml() is accomplished by means of a recycling switch 100 which can bearranged as a normally opened switch which will be closed within a shorttime delay interval after lthe closing of the cutters, or in case ofinsulation stripping can be arranged to be closed by a pin such asindicated at 101 which will be moved in response to the strippingoperation and close the contacts of switch 100 at the conclusion of thestripping operation. Whatever timing means are utilized to close thecontacts of switch 100, it will be seen that when .this switch closes itwill connect the conductor 94 into parallel energizing circuits throughthe coils 81 and 90 so as to operate the valve 7S to start a feedingoperation, and simultaneously operate the valve S8 to open the cutters84 and 85. The feeding operation will now continue until the lengthmeasuring device 11 again operates for a suflicient interval yto againbring the pin 73 into engagement with the movable contact 79 and `thusrepeat the operation previously described. It will be noted thatenergization of the coils 81 and 89 will be directly from thetransformer secondary 95. A simplified control is thus provided from asingle transformer for operating the feeding mechanism to feed andnon-feed positions, and the cutter means to cutter closed and openpositions, these operations being synchronized through a lengthmeasuring device in such a way that the desired length of lamentarymaterial may be determined merely by adjusting the knob 71, and that bythe use of the feeding `mechanism utilizing the looped belt arrangement,accurate lengths of filamentary material may be cut and otherwiseoperated upon with a most high degree of accuracy, and that thisaccuracy may be maintained over long operating periods.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned,except to .the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

l, In apparatus for working iilamentary materials, feed mechanism,comprising:

(a) a pair of spring tensioned looped belts having spaced adjacentelongate sections movable in the same direction and adapted to receivean elongate filamentary material therebetween;

(b) presser means respectively on the inner sides of said belt sections;aand (c) means for moving the presser means for one of said beltsections towards and away -`from the presser means for the other of saidbelt sections to effect feeding and non-feeding of the filamentarymaterial, said means including selectively energizable actuators.

2. In apparatus for working filamentary materials, feed mechanism,comprising:

(a) a pair of looped belts having spaced adjacent elongate sectionsaxially movable in the same direction and having outer linearly movingconfronting surfaces adapted to receive an elongate ilamentary materiallengthwise therebetween;

(b) means for adjustably transversely moving one of said sections tovariably position its confronting surface spacing with respect to theconfronting surface of the other section; and

(c) power means selectively energizable to transversely move the othersection to position its confronting surface into clamping andnon-clamping cooperation with the confronting surface of said one ofsaid sections to start and stop feeding of the filamentary material.

3. In apparatus for working a filamentary material,

feed mechanism, comprising:

(a) a pair of looped belts having spaced adjacent elongate sectionsaxially movable in the same direction and having outer confrontingsurfaces adapted to receive an elongate Iilamentary material lengthwisetherebetween;

(b) movable presser members respectively engageable with the innersurfaces of said sections;

(c) means for manually adjusting one of said presser members to vary itsposition with respect to said adjacent lamentary material; and

(d) power means selectively energizable to move the other of saidpresser members towards and away from said one of said presser membersto effect feeding and non-feeding of the filamentary material by saidbelts.

ri. In apparatus for working a filamentary material,

feed mechanism, comprising:

(a) a pair of looped belts having spaced adjacent elongate sectionsaxially movable in the same direction and having outer confrontingsurfaces adapted to receive an elongate lamentary material lengthwisetherebetween;

(b) movable presser members respectively engageable with the innersurfaces of said sections;

(c) means for manually adjusting one of said presser members to vary itsposition with respect to said adjacent filamentary material; and

(d) power means selectively energizable to move the other of saidpresser members towards and away from said one of said presser membersto effect feeding and non-feeding of. the filamentary material by saidbelts, said power means being: energizable in response to a workingoperationon said flamentary material.

5. In apparatus for working a lamentary material:

(a) feed mechanism including a pair of looped belts having spacedadjacent elongate sections movable in the same direction and adapted toreceive an elongate lamentary material therebetween;

(b) actuating means for said feed mechanism including rst meanselectrically energizable to relatively .move said belt sections towardseach other to effect feeding of the ilamentary material, :and secondmeans electrically energizable to relatively movesaid belt sections awayfrom each other to effect non-feeding of the lamentary material;

(c) cutter means receiving the filamentary material from said feedmechanism, said cutter means including third means electricallyenergizable to open said cutter means, and fourth means electricallyenergizable to close said cutter means and sever the lamentary material;

(d) switching means cyclically operable to energize said first means andsaid third means, whereby filamentary material is fed to said opencutter means; and

(e) lamentary material length measuring means including switch contactsoperable upon feed of a predetermined length of lamentary material toenergize said second means and said fourth means to terminate the feedand close the cutter means to sever the lamentary material.

6. In apparatus for working ailarnentary material:

(a) feed mechanism including .a pair of looped belts having spacedadjacent elongate sections movable in the same direction and adapted toreceive an elongate la-mentary material therebetween;

` (b) first actuating means selectively electrically energizable to movesaid belt sections to feed and vnonfeed positions;

(c) cutter means receiving lamentary material from the feed mechanism;

(d) second actuating means selectively electrically energizable to movesaid cutters to cutting and noncutting positions with respect to thelamentary material;

(e) switching means cyclically operable to energize the first actuatingmeans for moving the belt sections to feed position, and the secondactuating means to move the cutter means to non-cutting position; and

(f) switch means operable by feeding movement of the filamentarymaterial, including contacts adjustable to close in response to feedingmovement of a predetermined length of lamentary material, said closedcontacts operating to energize said rst actuating means to move the beltsections to non-feed position and the second actuating means to move thecutter means to cutting position.

7. In apparatus for working a ilamentary material:

(a) feeding mechanism including a pair of spaced movable belt sectionsselectively operable into feed and non-feed positions with respect to alamentary material therebetween;

(b) cutters operable to opened and closed positions with respect tofilamentary material fed thereto from the feeding mechanism;

(c) actuators respectively for said feeding mechanism and said cuttersincluding a first circuit energizable to operate the feeding mechanismto feed position and the cutters to opened position, and a secondcircuit energizable to operate the feeding mechanism to non-feedposition and the cutters to closed position; and

(d) switching means for alternately energizing said first and secondcircuits in timed relation to` the feeding movement of a predeterminedlength of filamentary material to said cutters. 8. In apparatus forworking a iilamentary material:

(a) feeding mechanism including a pair of spaced movable belt sectionsselectively operable into feed and non-feed positions with respect to alamentary material therebetween;

(b) cutters operable to opened and closed positions with respect tofilamentary material fed thereto from the feeding mechanism;

(c) actuators respectively for said feeding mechanism and said cuttersincluding a first circuit energizable to operate the feeding mechanismto feed position and the cutters to opened position, and a secondcircuit energizable to operate the feeding mechanism to non-feedposition and the cutters to closed position;

(d) an A.C. electrical source;

(e) switch means cyclically operable to connect and disconnect saidfirst circuit to -said source;

(f) a capacitor;

(g) a rectifier;

(h) other switch means selectively operable to one position to actuate afirst set of contacts to normally connect said capacitor and rectifierinto a changing circuit from said electrical source, and to anotherposition to actuate a second set of contacts to conneet said capacitorfor energizing said second circuit; and

(i) means operable by feeding movement of said filamentary material foractuating said other switch means in timed relation to the feedingmovement of a predetermined length of said lamentary material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,684,158 9/1928Strom et al 83-369 X 2,320,659 6/1943. Sahlin et al. 83-422 2,910,20510/1959 Kretschmer et al. 198-165 X 2,944,456 7/ 1960 Christiansen etal. 83-261 X 3,068,920 12/1962 Chandler et al. 198-165 X 3,098,5967/1963 Kulicke 226-188 X 3,137,190 6/1964 Mosher et al. 83-210 FOREIGNPATENTS 609,041 11/1960 Canada.

WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Primary Examiner'.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Examiner.

L. B. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

5. IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL: (A) FEED MECHANISMINCLUDING A PAIR OF LOOPED BELTS HAVING SPACED ADJACENT ELONGATESECTIONS MOVABLE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ANELONGATE FILAMENTARY MATERIAL THEREBETWEEN; (B) ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAIDFEED MECHANISM INCLUDING FIRST MEANS ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZABLE TORELATIVELY MOVE SAID BELT SECTIONS TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO EFFECT FEEDINGOF THE FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, AND SECOND MEANS ELECTRICALLY ENERGZABLE TORELATIVELY MOVE SAID BELT SECTIONS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO EFFECTNON-FEEDING OF THE FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; (C) CUTTER MEANS RECEIVING THEFILAMENTARY MATERIAL FROM SAID FEED MECHANISM, SAID CUTTER MEANSINCLUDING THIRD MEANS ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZABLE TO OPEN SAID CUTTERMEANS, AND FOURTH MEANS ELECTRICALLY ENER-